Textiles and Tea yesterday was in breakdown mode, but I did get what I could from it. Anita Mayer was the featured artist.
She weaves clothing based on rectangles and uses illustrations from transferred photographs and texts
More talking than slides, but this is the gist. Some cool construction ideas here, for knitters and sewing fans as well as weavers.
Gary came over to visit and talk about what I'm learning from the eye experience, then on to how to clean his polyester canvas outdoor furniture ready for his daughter's party on the Fourth.
I introduced him to washing soda and Borax, to see what would work, and he's going with Borax, very happy about the first test. Nice chat on the patio.
Since I put out one more chair, it's more hospitable for people to stop in, I find. Just one guest chair didn't do it. Interesting material for a sociological study, feel free to use it! Why three chairs look more inviting than two.
The new sock stitches settled down by last night and look much better. Earlier the tension had been a bit wobbly, from the anxiety of the knitter. You can see the mood of the knitter in their work, relaxed, tense, however they're doing.
When I was learning gold work embroidery, demanding stuff, our teacher advised not to pick it up in order to relax, but to do something else first to relax, then go on to the goldwork. Knitting is more forgiving, though I did pull some of it out yesterday to improve it on the second try.
About knitting style, Mary Moon asked yesterday if I knitted English (throwing) or Continental (picking). I don't do either.
My style is more like flicking, yarn in right hand, with a minimum of finger movement, no arm movement at all.
I can do English and Continental, but the picking movement of the Continental is irritating to me. Some English style knitters do something more laborious than I do.
Continental knitters talk about their speed, however, unless you're doing it for a living, I don't think that's so important. My own speed is fine for my purposes.
There's a lot of personal style about knitting, holding the needles, tensioning the yarn, preferences in straight or circular, big tent. And there are passionate debates, which I stay out of. It seems to trigger a great need to be "right". And let's not get into the crochet vs knitting arena. It leaves cats vs dogs in the dust!
Today's drawing, in ballpoint pen (!) is about the current knitting.
A bit tired today, making follow up calls to see why the eyedrop Rx hasn't been called in, and to change the lens decision.
But we'll get there. I think.
Happy day everyone!
Perhaps the three chairs is about the tension/movement of odd numbers, even numbers being in balance and calm, boring.
ReplyDeleteI like that first photo of the long multicoloured vest!
ReplyDeleteIs this you in the photos? I learned to knit in girl scouts but couldn't do it now to save my life!
ReplyDeleteHoping all your decisions and arrangements for the eye surgery fall into place. It can be exhausting!
ReplyDeleteChairs - 3 makes a better composition than 2. I love that long sunset coloured coat. Knitting: i do both. My tension is more even throwing stitches (which i do knitting on long needles held by my elbows), but I use continental for knitting in the round. Continental also makes colourwork easier but i need to improve my tension because the overall effect is not up to my personal standards. Interestingly i understand the world speed knitting record is held by a stitch-thrower. Purl (or wrong side knitting) is way slower in the continental picking method.
ReplyDeleteSandra, no, it's not me, it's Anita modeling her creations. But we are the same vintage!
ReplyDeleteInteresting thoughts about the chairs. Maybe it's not a sociological study but an aesthetic one! Considering how humble they are, all dumpster finds, that's also funny.
Tigger yes, on color work it pays to hold colors in both hands and pick or throw at will. When I use long straight needles I anchor them, too. And hold the free moving needle at right angles to the static one.
Purling Continental is the clumsiest procedure. It's one reason I like throwing better. You sound like a very experienced knitter. I'd really like to see!
Wilma, yes. I'm worn out today just from yesterday's shenanigans. And we haven't done anything yet!
Design rules say uneven is better than even in group numbers, better 3 than 2, better 5 than 4. Composition at work.
ReplyDeleteAnita is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThree is just a very important number. It holds great spiritual meaning to many. And as my grandfather used to point out- a three-legged stool is far more sturdy and level than a four-legged one.
ReplyDeleteThank you for answering my question so well! Tension is my main problem in knitting. No matter what method I try, it is never quite right. Whether this is a physical or mental problem, I do not know, but it has gotten in the way of my knitting ability since I started. Also now, I have a very hard time with my left hand and wrist as the result of a bad wrist break when I was sixteen. I knit a little while and then have to rest to get the feeling back into my left hand. This is just the way it is.
That’s a great observation about the chairs. I don’t know what style of knitting the women in our families used but they were fast.
ReplyDeleteI've done that type of embroidery before and finally decided - I hate to do it. Not relaxing. Not easy. I think three chairs give you a choice of where to sit - close to the other person or a chair away.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm a 'variant' on traditional knitting styles too. I taught myself and no doubt have all sorts of bad habits but at least I get there in the end. I think. I tried to learn continental because I'd been assured it was faster but it wasn't for me. I could 'get' the knit stitch but the purl was beyond comprehension.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to read the discussion about 3 chairs vs. 2.